Priced Out of The Market?

To @Victor's point, I would say that North American pricing is generally going up, at least from my cross-border perspective.

Living in Ontario, most prices have indeed gone up (some, substantially so...Talisker 10 has gone up 43% in the five years that I have had whisky as a hobby), especially in the last 18-24 months. However, when I look at Binny's in the Chicago area, with the exception of all Ardbeg's, Old Pulteney, Laphroaig 15, and some other high profile bottles, Ontario is actually comparable to only 10% higher than Binny's. I use Binny's as a reference as they seem to be close to an 'average' US price...slightly better on average compared to Michigan's minimum shelf prices, not nearly as bad as NY & Boston, but not (relatively) dirt cheap like California or Maryland. How so? Once you add IL state liquor tax of 9.5% - Ontario's shelf prices are tax inc. - and current currency conversion at x1.27 US$>Can$, many bottles are similarly priced. Heck, HP 18 has recently seen price changes, on both sides of the border, where this calculation makes them identically priced!

I do find I am buying less often but am willing to spend more on a given bottle, especially when it is a one-off or limited release. For example, I was happy to spend more money on Redbreast 12 CS, over the standard 12 yo, as it is the first time that the CS bottle has come to Ontario, and because the regular 12 is regularly on store shelves, so that it could be purchased in the future. A nice side benefit is that the cabinet has more 'interesting' (for lack of a better term) content.

I have always been very deliberate in researching my purchases, relying significantly on the good folks here on Connosr to guide my thoughts. To that end though, as @Spitfire highlighted, I would love to see more places provide sampling bars for whisky as I feel that people really would be more inclined to purchase a bottle if they have had a chance to taste first.

ok, so Glenmorangie can be added to the 'stupid pricing' group in Ontario. Isn't Glenmo owned by the same company that owns Ardbeg? Might explain why those two (for whatever particular reason) are consistently poorly priced in Ontario.

@Pudge72 Most definitely Glenmorangie is to be completely ignored in Ontario. Pricing may even be more ridiculous than Ardbeg. I checked some of the prices in Nova Scotia for Glenmorangie and it is a travesty.

Glenmorangie Signet for example is $118 cheaper in NS I will never buy an Ardbeg or Glenmorangie in Ontario again.

@Spitfire, @Astroke,

I am sipping Ninety 20 YO and Canadian Rockies 21 h2h. In a blind taste I would think they might be indistinguishable. The 90/20 might be ever so slightly sweeter than the RM 21. They are the same juice and I bought both knowing they might be from the same bond yet priced differently...I bought two bottles of Canadian Rockies 21... I too want to call it Rocky Mountain. Both are great!

@paddockjudge Thanks for the comparison, PJ.

@paddockjudge Yes, thanks for the quick comparison.